The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-27
AMONG THE MAGAZINES.
What the Current Periodicals Are Saying
0. W. Holmes and His Trip Abroad.


What the Current Periodicals Are Saying
0. W. Holmes and His Trip Abroad.
Some writer, in urging the advisability OF
reading rapidly, quotes Mr.. Spofford, congress
sional librarian, as saying that he never spends
more than half an hour upon any book, being
able in that time to ''get the heart out of it.
This, as an example for those who read for en-
tertainment and mental profit is hardly to be
recommended. It is by no means difficult in
tellectual feat to get at the gst of any authors
work in the time mentioned if the purpose in
view is that which, it may be supposed, animates
Mr. Spofford in his swift perusal, namely, the
classification CT the book under its proper head.
One can imagine that accomplished gentleman
dipping into a volume here and there, turning
back to the introduction, running over the heads
of the chapters, devouring tie last few pages
and, that done, laying away in a pigeon-hole OF
his bureau a description of the book, and its
character, neatly labeled and ready for use
at need. Anyone can do the same
up to the important point OF finding
the right pigeon-hole when the contents are
wanted: but not many have Mr.. Spoffords re-
markab.e memory, and perhaps. not being II.
orarians, it is not necessary that they shonid
transform themselves into catalogues of litera-
ture. To read III haste is to lose something or
the benefits of the intellectual repast, and is apt
to injure the mental digestion as dinner swal-
lowed on the lightning American plan is likely
to produce dyspepsia. Leisure is necessary to
the perfect enjoyment and assimilation of EACH
Nevertheless. the books tempt u.s. and. above all,
the periodicals entlce irresstibly If we have
no time for books we will, at least, read maya
zines. Time can be spent with them prohtably,
h,rfh ovv hrk koJE ho,,~ &c ncr hln IN
take the cream. This, in the Atlantic Monthly
for March, is the first chapter of Oliver Wendell
Holiness One Hundred Days in Europe. 1t is
the account of his recent trip abroad and the
elderly traveller takes the reader into his conf
dence with an righteousness which seems like
that OF youth, but is. also, only the perfection
of art-or is it artfulness? Signs OF advanc-
ing age shown in the frequent reference to
arrangements for his physical comfort, but in no
other way. So far as enjoyment goes he seems
to have extracted as much youthful tourist
might have done. He went to the races on Derby
day to revive an old-time sensation of enjoyment
and apparently succeeded. The newspaper mind
is shocked at finding in his narrative two bold.
faced unmistakeable advertisements, one of a
patent razor, the other an asthma remedy, and,
shades of regular" physicians. also patented.
Accompanying the mention of these articles and
their merits is the name and address of the man.
ufacturer Of EACH The editor of the Atlantic
being poet and inclined to look leniently upon
the eccentricities of the honored contributor
must, in spite of all, have undergone struggle
before admitting these lads into the pages
hitherto sacred, top of the columns and all:
the publishers however, as they contemplate
the priceless value of these "reading notices to
the razor and medicine men, respectively, and
reflect that they get nothing in return must look
black even upon the old 'Autocrat"
That genial and guilelesss person, apparently
unconscious of any injury to the publishers,
adds to the enormity of his offense by warding
off suspicion OF Interior motives from himself
and increasing at the time til value or the ad
vertisement by remarklng blandly that 1t Is pure
good will to his race which enables him to com
mend the articles specified to all who travel by
land or sea, well as to all who stay at home.
That sentence Is worth q thousand dollars, at
least, to the razor-man.
Forty years ago, when Dr. Holmes went tc
Europe, it is highly probable that he was not
deeply impressed with either the virtues of tea
or of old ladies, but in the maturity of his
| tastes, he pays tribute to both these important
elements of English society.
Thus he talks of the Londoness and her cups
The afternoon tea is almost necessity in London
life. 1t is considered useful "a pick up and
it serves an admirable purpose in the social system
1t costs the household hardly any trouble expense
1t brings people together in the easiest possible
for ten minutes hour, just their engagements
or fances may settle it. A cup of tea the right
moment does for the viruous reveer all that Falstaf
claims for good sheris-sack. at least the first
half of it's twofod operation" ut ascends into
the brain; dries there all the foolish, and dull and
crudy vapors which environ it, makes it apprchensve
quick, forgetive, full of nmble fiery and deectablt
shapes which delivered to the voice the tongue
| which is the birth. becomes excellent wit"
But it must have the right brain to work upon anG
doubt if there is any brain to which it is congen
| al and from which it brings much as that Of {
| frstrate London lady. came away from the crea
city with the feeling that this complex produc
Of civz ion was nowhere else developed to such per
! lection. The octogenarian Londoness has been II
society-let say the highest society-all her days
/ She is as tough old macaw. or she would no
have lasted long She has ard talked with al
&hacn crf&
| at least half dozen decades. Her Wits have beer
kept bright by constant use. aud as she is free O
speech 1t requires courage to face her. Yet
| body can be more agreeable to young persons
| than one of these precious old dowagers. grea
beauty is almost certainly thinking how she look
while one is talking with her; an authoress is waitn
to have praise her book: but grand old lady wh
loves London society, who lives i'll it, who understand
young people and all sorts of people. with her high
eolored recoections of the past and her grand nla
terna interests in the new generation is the best
companions, especially a of tea just stron
enough to stir up her talking ganglions.
| Somebody, perhaps member of the Wester,
| Association of Authors-who knows2-has beel
writing to the Harpers about his rejected contri
! buttons, ard George William Curtis prints th
letter in the March number of the magazine
J This is what the aggrieved correspondent saws
st,reotyped regret. which is the common portion 9
| tyros and serbs. What are the qualities
tions necessary for a writer to get fair iudgrnen
| from Harper 81 Brothers.? Does the publishing bus
ness stand as it did in Byron's young DAYS when tina
| poet was told by publisher to first win fame an
then go to hima Fame sir of more than local chara
ter has been simply matter of neglect with me-
could have had it had valued it. / have been toll
by competent critics that I had the prerequisite
ability, human sympathy and spark of natures fir,
Aside from the hope of earning a few extra dollars
do not care for the rebuff of your editors" I b
lieve that You prejudced against all contrib
tors, particularly if they hail from the West. te
you the West is greater than you have any idea 0
and you would realize it should you ever as did poo
de,uded Greeley, run for national Office. Yours
haste.
The usually mild Mr.. Curtis shows som
acerbity of temper in his comments upon tn
| absurd communication and nffars Soma s,1s